Can opening structure of pull-top type can

ABSTRACT

To enable any one to open a pull-top type can easily by a pullout motion of a pull tab without damaging a fingertip or a nail, a can opening structure is constituted by a pressed portion ( 13 ), in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member ( 11 ) by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch ( 12 ), and a pull tab ( 20 ) fixed to the lid member ( 11 ), the pull tab ( 20 ) is provided with a pressing portion ( 21 ) and a finger catch portion ( 22 ) and fixed to the lid member ( 11 ) by a pin ( 23 ) forming a supporting point, a guide portion having a surface inclined downward from the pin ( 23 ) toward the pressing portion ( 21 ) side is formed in the pressed portion ( 21 ), and the finger catch portion ( 22 ) is lifted up by bringing the pressing portion ( 21 ) into contact with the guide surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a can opening structure of a pull-toptype can in which a tap is formed by a pull tab fixed to a lid member ofthe can.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONVENTIONAL ART

In a conventional pull top, since a gap between a lid surface and afinger catch portion of a pull tab is narrow, it is hard to pull out thepull tab, and there is a case that a nail is broken, so that there is aproblem that the pull tab is too firm and is hardly pulled out for achild, an aged man or a female. In order to solve the problem mentionedabove, the prior art aiming to easily carry out a pull-out motion of thepull tab has been proposed as follows.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-210318 discloses“pull-top type can” in which a finger insertion hole for inserting afinger from an inner peripheral side and a finger catch portion forpulling out a pull tab are formed in the pull tab, and a concave portionis provided in a lid member below the finger catch portion, for thepurpose of providing a pull-top type can with a tap which can be formedby easily catching the finger catch portion of the pull tab with afinger.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, since the concaveportion is formed in the lid member below of the finger catch portion,it is possible for a finger to easily catch the finger catch portion ofthe pull tab.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 6-3828discloses “pull-top type cans” in which a finger insertion groove isprovided below a pull top ring for the purpose of providing pull-toptype cans which any one can easily open without using a fingertip or anail.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, it is possible to pullup the pull top ring with the middle of a finger.

On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-236475discloses “pull top” structured such that a catching portion of a tablifts up by rotating the tab having a tilted rotation axis with respectto a can, so that the catching portion of the tab can be easily caught,for the purpose of providing a pull top in which a can opening operationcan be easily carried out.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, since the can openingoperation is easy and the tab is easily caught so as to be easily pulledout, any one can easily open the can.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-231287discloses “pull-top structure” in which a projection portion is providedin an opposite surface to an opening portion based on an axis of a can,a finger contact portion is provided in a finger catch portion at aleading end of a pull-top tab, and an intermediate portion of the fingercatch portion of the tab comes up above the projection portion and aleading end of the tab moves away largely by catching the finger contactportion with a fingertip so as to rotate in a direction toward thesmoothly protruding projection portion, for the purpose of providing apull-top structure in which a can can be opened without damaging afingertip or a nail.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, a gap with respect toa top plate becomes large by catching the finger contact portion of thetab with a fingertip and rotating to the smoothly protruding projectionportion, so that it is possible to safely open the can without givingdamage to a fingertip or a nail.

Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-130560discloses “can with pull-top” in which a pull top fixed to a top lid ofa can is bent along a border of a bending portion provided across thepull top, and a predetermined gap is formed between a ring of the pulltop and the top lid of the can.

In accordance with the prior art mentioned above, since the gap isformed between the ring of the pull top and the upper lid of the can, itis easy to catch the ring with a fingertip so as to easily pull it up.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a can opening structureof a pull-top type can by which any one can easily carry out a pulloutmotion of a pull tab without giving damage to a fingertip or a nail, byemploying a different structure from the prior art mentioned above.

Means for Solving the Problem

In order to solve the problem mentioned above, in accordance with afirst aspect of the present invention, there is provided a can openingstructure of a pull-top type can comprising:

a pressed portion in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member by adiscontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch;

a pull tab fixed to the lid member;

the pull tab being provided with a pressing portion and a finger catchportion and being fixed to the lid member by a pin forming a supportingpoint; and

the pull tab being pulled out and the pressed portion being cut out soas to open the can,

wherein a guide portion having a surface inclined downward from the pintoward a direction of the pressing portion of the pull tab is formed inthe pressed portion, and the finger catch portion of the pull tab islifted up by bringing the pressing portion of the pull tab into contactwith the guide surface, thereby a finger easily catching the pull tab,at a time of opening the can.

Further, in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention,there is provided a can opening structure of a pull-top type cancomprising:

a pressed portion in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member by adiscontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch;

a pull tab fixed to the lid member;

the pull tab being provided with a pressing portion and a finger catchportion and being fixed to the lid member by a pin forming a supportingpoint; and

the pull tab being pulled out and the pressed portion being cut out soas to open the can,

wherein a notch portion is formed at a top edge portion of the pull-toptype can, and a leading end portion of the finger catch portion of thepull tab is formed so as to extend to the notch portion.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

As mentioned above, in accordance with the first aspect of the presentinvention, since the finger catch portion of the pull tab is lifted uponly by pressing the pressing portion of the pull tab with a fingertipor the like so as to push down it to the guide surface inclined downwardas a preliminary step of the can opening operation, the finger caneasily catch the pull tab, and any one can easily open the can withoutdamaging a fingertip or a nail.

Further, in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention,since the leading end portion of the finger catch portion of the pulltab is formed so as to extend to the notch portion of the upper edgeportion of the pull top type can, the finger can easily catch the pulltab, and any one can easily open the can without damaging a fingertip ora nail.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a can opening structure of a pull-top typecan in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2( a) and 2(b) are sectional views of the can opening structure ofthe pull-top type can shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a can opening structure of a pull-top typecan in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the can opening structure of the pull-toptype can shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description will be given below of embodiments in accordance with thepresent invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Apull-top type can in accordance with the present invention is structuredsuch that a pull tab is fixed to a lid member, and the pull tab ispulled out and a lid piece is cut out, thereby opening the can.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a can opening structure of a pull-top typecan in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Apull-top type can 10 is constituted by a pressed portion 13 in which alid piece is formed by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch12 in a lid member 11, and a pull tab 20 fixed to the lid member 11. Thepull tab 20 is provided with a pressing portion 21 and a finger catchportion 22 and is fixed to the lid member 11 by a pin 23 forming asupporting point. The pressed portion 13 surrounded by the notch 12 ispressed downward by the pressing portion 21 when the finger catchportion 22 of the pull tab 20 fixed to a near center portion of the lidmember 11 by the pin 23 is pulled out upward, whereby the notch 12 isbroken so that the pressed portion 13 is bent to a lower surface side ofthe lid member 11. At this time, since the notch 12 formed around thepressed portion 13 is discontinuous near the center portion of the lidmember 11, the pressed portion 13 does not break away from the lidmember 11 after being pressed by the pressing portion 21 so as to bebent to the lower surface side of the lid member 11.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the can opening structure of the pull-toptype can shown in FIG. 1. A guide portion 14 having a surface inclineddownward from the pin 23 toward a direction of the pressing portion 21of the pull tab 20 is formed in the pressed portion 13 of the lid member11. At a time of opening the can, the finger catch portion 22 of thepull tab 20 is lifted up by bringing the pressing portion 21 of the pulltab 20 into contact with the guide surface 14, and thus can be easilycaught with a finger (refer to FIG. 2( b)).

As mentioned above, in accordance with the can opening structure of thepull-top type can shown in the first embodiment, since the finger catchportion 22 of the pull tab 20 is lifted up only by pressing the pressingportion 21 of the pull tab 20 with a fingertip or the like as thepreliminary step of the can opening operation so as to push down it tothe downward inclined guide surface 14 (changing from a state shown inFIG. 2( a) to a state shown in FIG. 2( b)), the finger can easily catchthe pull tab, and any one can easily open the can without damaging afingertip or a nail.

Next, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a can opening structure of apull-top type can in accordance with a second embodiment of the presentinvention. A pull-top type can 30 is constituted by a pressed portion 33in which a lid piece is formed by a discontinuous approximatelyloop-shaped notch 32 in a lid member 31, and a pull tab 40 fixed to thelid member 31. The pull tab 40 is provided with a pressing portion 41and a finger catch portion 42 and is fixed to the lid member 31 by a pin43 forming a supporting point. The pressed portion 33 surrounded by thenotch 32 is pressed downward by the pressing portion 41 when the fingercatch portion 42 of the pull tab 40 fixed to a near center portion ofthe lid member 31 by the pin 43 is pulled out upward, whereby the notch32 is broken so that the pressed portion 33 is bent to a lower surfaceside of the lid member 31. At this time, since the notch 32 formedaround the pressed portion 33 is discontinuous near the center portionof the lid member 31, the pressed portion 33 does not break away fromthe lid member 31 after being pressed by the pressing portion 41 so asto be bent to the lower surface side of the lid member 31.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the can opening structure of the pull-toptype can shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a notch portion 35is formed in an upper edge portion 34 of the pull-top type can 30, and aleading end portion of the finger catch portion 42 of the pull tab 40 isformed so as to extend to the notch portion 35 in correspondencethereto.

As mentioned above, in accordance with the can opening structure of thepull-top type can shown in the second embodiment, the finger can easilycatch the finger catch portion 42 of the pull tab 40, and any one caneasily open the can without damaging a fingertip or a nail.

1. A can opening structure of a pull-top type can comprising: a pressedportion in which a lid piece is formed in a lid member by adiscontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch; a pull tab fixed to saidlid member; said pull tab being provided with a pressing portion and afinger catch portion and being fixed to said lid member by a pin forminga supporting point; and said pull tab being pulled out and said pressedportion being cut out so as to open the can, wherein a guide portionhaving a surface inclined downward from said pin toward a direction ofsaid pressing portion of said pull tab is formed in said pressedportion, and said finger catch portion of said pull tab is lifted up bybringing said pressing portion of said pull tab into contact with saidguide surface, thereby a finger easily catching the pull tab, at a timeof opening the can.
 2. A can opening structure of a pull-top type cancomprising: a pressed portion in which a lid piece is formed in a lidmember by a discontinuous approximately loop-shaped notch; a pull tabfixed to said lid member; said pull tab being provided with a pressingportion and a finger catch portion and being fixed to said lid member bya pin forming a supporting point; and said pull tab being pulled out andsaid pressed portion being cut out so as to open the can, wherein anotch portion is formed at a top edge portion of said pull-top type can,and a leading end portion of said finger catch portion of said pull tabis formed so as to extend to said notch portion.